Mandisa

Biography

Mandisa Lynn Hundley () (October 2, 1976 – c. April 18, 2024), known mononymously as Mandisa, was an American gospel and contemporary Christian recording artist. She began her solo career as a contestant in the fifth season of American Idol finishing in ninth place. Her album Overcomer×Overcomer1 January 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Overcomer3:442Back to You3:363The Distance3:344Face 2 Face3:555Press On3:226What Scars Are For3:267Dear John3:518At All Times4:019Joy Unspeakable3:3810Praying for You3:3511Where You Begin4:00Disc 21Overcomer (Commentary)1:092Back to You (Commentary)0:583The Distance (Commentary)1:134Face 2 Face (Commentary)1:115Press On (Commentary)1:086What Scars Are For (Commentary)1:027Dear John (Commentary)1:028At All Times (Commentary)1:099Joy Unspeakable (Commentary)0:5810Praying for You (Commentary)0:5811Where You Begin (Commentary)0:58 won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album; she was the fifth American Idol contestant to win a Grammy.

Early life

Mandisa Lynn Hundley was born on October 2, 1976, in Citrus Heights, California to John D. Hundley (b. 1943) and Ruby Jewell (née Berryman; born 1940), where she was also raised. She was the youngest child of four children with two older brothers and one older sister. The Hundley family lived in Citrus Heights during Mandisa's growing up years and she attended school there, graduating from El Camino Fundamental High School in 1994.
Following high school, she attended American River College in Sacramento, where she studied vocal jazz. She then transferred to study at Tennessee's Fisk University for vocal performance, and was a member of the school's "Jubilee Singers". Mandisa graduated from Fisk in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music.
Before her solo career, Mandisa worked for a short time as a recording session backup singer for artists such as Sandi Patty, Shania Twain, and Trisha Yearwood.

American Idol

In 2005, Mandisa auditioned in Chicago, Illinois for the United States talent competition television show American Idol. After referring to herself as "just Mandisa", she was billed on the show as "Mandisa". When she provided background information to the show's producers, she said that her musical influences were diverse, from Whitney Houston to Def Leppard.
Idol judge Simon Cowell made several comments about Mandisa's weight after her successful audition. He quipped, "Do we have a bigger stage this year?" Then when Paula Abdul commented that Mandisa had a "Frenchie" growl to her voice, Cowell responded that a more apt comparison would be to France itself. The comments and others drew the ire of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, (NAAFA) and was one of the reasons Mandisa entitled her 2007 album, True Beauty×True Beauty31 July 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Only the World3:242True Beauty3:233God Speaking4:564Voice of a Savior4:475Love Somebody3:486Unrestrained4:317Shakles (Praise You)3:298(Never Gonna) Steal My Joy3:149Oh, My Lord3:1710Only You3:2611He Will Come4:43.
When Mandisa spoke to the judges just before the season's cut to 24 semi-finalists, she told Cowell: "What I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me and I cried and it was painful, it really was. But I want you to know that I've forgiven you and that you don't need someone to apologize in order to forgive somebody. I figure that if Jesus could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, I can certainly extend that same grace to you." Cowell apologized to her immediately, saying that he was "humbled".
On the March 7, 2006, Idol show, she said in her pre-performance video that she sucked her thumb until she was 24 years old. She performed a rendition of Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" which drew praise from all three judges. Mandisa was among the 12 contestants chosen on March 9, 2006, as a finalist in Idol's fifth season. She was eliminated from American Idol on April 5, 2006, in the top nine (she, Paris Bennett, and Elliott Yamin were in the bottom three). None of them had previously been in the bottom three). She, like most of the eliminated contestants, appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno a day later.

Music career

On July 27, 2007, after being eliminated from American Idol—Mandisa performed the song "I Don't Hurt Anymore" on the TV talk show Live with Regis and Kelly. She joined Gladys Knight and others at the Apollo Theater for the benefit concert "Back to Harlem," to raise money for various charities. Mandisa was featured alongside Kirk Franklin on tobyMac's song "Lose My Soul" from his album Portable Sounds (2007).
Mandisa's first full-length album True Beauty×True Beauty31 July 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Only the World3:242True Beauty3:233God Speaking4:564Voice of a Savior4:475Love Somebody3:486Unrestrained4:317Shakles (Praise You)3:298(Never Gonna) Steal My Joy3:149Oh, My Lord3:1710Only You3:2611He Will Come4:43 was released on July 31, 2007. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums charts, making it the first time a new female artist has debuted at No. 1 in the chart's 27-year history. It also debuted at No. 43 on the Billboard 200, an unusually high debut on that chart for a Christian artist. It also garnered a Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album nomination. Showcasing Mandisa's stylistic range was the task set before the five sets of producers who lined up to work with her on the album: Shaun Shankel, Brown Bannister, Christopher Stevens, Drew Ramsey and Shannon Sanders (Drew and Shannon), Robert Marvin, and Josiah Bell. Mandisa personally spent time with the album's writers before the songwriting process began, sharing her vision for the project and what she hoped to communicate through the songs.
Her first single, "Only the World×Only the World22 May 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Only the World3:272True Beauty3:25," was released on May 22, 2007. The song had a successful debut on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart, which tracks commercial single sales, debuting at No. 2 and reached No. 1 the following week. It is also getting major airplay on Christian radio stations. It was written by Matthew West, Sam Mizell and Clint Lagerberg. (West also co-wrote two other songs on the album.) Her cover of "Shackles" features a horn section provided by LiveHorns.com with Tommy Vaughan on trumpet, Rodney Mills on trombone, and Shane Philen on sax. They also appear on Mandisa's performance of "The Right Thing" on the VeggieTales soundtrack for The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything.
The second single "God Speaking" was released to Christian radio in October 2007. A third single, "Voice of a Savior," written by West, was serviced to Inspo radio in mid-2008, where it peaked in the Top 5 of Radio and Records' Soft AC/Inspo chart.
In November 2007, Mandisa released a holiday EP, Christmas Joy×Christmas Joy30 October 2007 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1What Christmas Means to Me2:572Joy to the World3:463Christmas Makes Me Cry4:424O Holy Night5:40 EP, which features the song "Christmas Makes Me Cry", a duet with frequent collaborator Matthew West. Earlier that year, Mandisa also recorded "Christmas Day," a duet with Michael W. Smith. The EP peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Hot Christian AC chart, stopped from reaching No. 1 by her duet with Smith, "Christmas Day". It was the first time in the history of the Christian singles chart that a solo female artist was featured on the top two singles at the same time. On October 14, 2008, Mandisa released a full-length Christmas album, It's Christmas×It's Christmas14 October 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1What Christmas Means to Me3:032Feliz Navidad (with Joy to the World)3:243Christmas Makes Me Cry4:444Christmas Bell Medley (with Silver Bells, Carol of the Bells, and Caroling, Caroling)5:075Silent Night4:326Angels We Have Heard on High3:447Little Drummer Boy3:528Christmas Day3:209O Holy Night5:4310Mary's Little Boy Child3:4711Children Go Where I Send Thee4:36.
Freedom was released on March 24, 2009. There had also been reports that Mandisa would be releasing "We Are Family" which is a Bonus Track on Napster on April 14, 2009. The song was available for a short time on Amazon.com added to Freedom labeled as "Freedom + Bonus Track". It also debuted at No. 83 on the Billboard 200.
What If We Were Real, was released on April 11, 2011. In March 2011 she began a tour with comedian Anita Renfroe promoting the album. The first single off "What If We Were Real×What If We Were Real1 January 2011 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Stronger - With Cold Ending3:342What If We Were Real3:203These Days3:184The Truth About Me3:325Say Goodbye3:136Good Morning3:247Waiting for Tomorrow3:178Just Cry4:369Temporary Fills2:4510Free4:0911Lifeline3:28," a track titled "Stronger," peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart on June 18, 2011. The album has remained on the Billboard Christian Albums for 76 consecutive weeks as of September 2012. It debuted at No. 66 on the Billboard 200. The second single, "Waiting for Tomorrow," peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart the week of January 28, 2012. The third single, "Good Morning", features fellow Contemporary Christian musician tobyMac, with whom Mandisa collaborated on "Lose My Soul".
Mandisa's fourth studio album, Overcomer×Overcomer1 January 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Overcomer3:442Back to You3:363The Distance3:344Face 2 Face3:555Press On3:226What Scars Are For3:267Dear John3:518At All Times4:019Joy Unspeakable3:3810Praying for You3:3511Where You Begin4:00Disc 21Overcomer (Commentary)1:092Back to You (Commentary)0:583The Distance (Commentary)1:134Face 2 Face (Commentary)1:115Press On (Commentary)1:086What Scars Are For (Commentary)1:027Dear John (Commentary)1:028At All Times (Commentary)1:099Joy Unspeakable (Commentary)0:5810Praying for You (Commentary)0:5811Where You Begin (Commentary)0:58, was released on August 27, 2013, and debuted at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, her highest peak on that chart to date. The title track "Overcomer" was released in late July, hitting the Billboard Christian Top 20 in its third week on the charts. It went to No. 1 on that chart by October 2013 when it also appeared on the mainstream Bubbling Under chart.
Mandisa won the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Overcomer at the 56th Grammy Awards. The title song from the album also won Best Contemporary Christian Music Song for songwriters David Garcia, Ben Glover, and Christopher Stevens. She declined to attend the Grammy Awards, however, saying, "I have fallen prey to the alluring pull of flesh, pride, and selfish desires quite a bit recently. I knew that submerging myself into an environment that celebrates those things was risky for me at this time.” Her fifth and final album, Out of the Dark×Out of the Dark19 May 2017 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Voicemail (intro)1:362I'm Still Here3:403Out of the Dark3:014Unfinished3:335Bleed the Same Intro0:486Bleed the Same4:047Comeback Kid3:058What You’re Worth3:059Dear John Praise Report0:2610Good News2:5111Prove Me Wrong4:0712Mothdisa (interlude)1:2713The One He Speaks Through3:4714Shine3:2615My First Love3:4116Shame Off3:2017Keep Getting Up3:4318Back to Life5:24, was released on May 19, 2017. The lead single, "Unfinished", was then released on March 10, 2017. The song reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs Chart. A compilation of her best songs, Overcomer: The Greatest Hits×Overcomer: The Greatest Hits7 February 2020 · Album · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Way Maker4:022Overcomer3:443Bleed the Same4:044Unfinished3:335Stronger3:346Good Morning3:247God Speaking4:568Joy Unspeakable3:389My Deliverer3:1610Press On3:2211Shackles (Praise You)3:2912Only the World3:2413He Is With You3:5914Good News2:5115Voice of a Savior4:47, was released in February 2020.

Personal life

Mandisa lived in Franklin, Tennessee, a Nashville suburb. After her 2006 appearance on American Idol, she worked toward improving her health with a focus on weight loss. In a 2006 interview with The Advocate, she said she had a food addiction. The title of her second album, Freedom×Freedom1 January 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1My Deliverer3:162How Much4:013He Is With You3:594The Definition of Me3:305Not Guilty4:356Leave It in the Valley3:407Victorious3:278Broken Hallelujah5:069Freedom Song3:3810Dance, Dance, Dance3:1111You Wouldn't Cry (Andrew's Song)5:29, was inspired by her experience of overcoming what she said was an addiction to food. As of March 2009, it was reported that she lost 75 pounds. By February 2011, she reached her goal of losing 100 pounds.
After the loss of a close friend to breast cancer in 2014, Mandisa gained back much of the weight she had originally lost, as well as experiencing depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide. The loss of her friend, accompanied by a personal sense of betrayal by God, led her to retreat from the public.
In May 2017, Mandisa returned to the public eye. Speaking openly about her struggle with depression, she appeared on podcasts and wrote a memoir, "Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy". When she released Out of the Dark in 2017, it was the first album she had recorded in three years.

Death

On April 18, 2024, Mandisa was found dead at her home in Franklin, Tennessee, at the age of 47. The Franklin Police Department announced the following day that they had opened an investigation into her cause of death. At her memorial service, Mandisa's father John Hundley stated she was found unresponsive on the left side of her bed and speculated she had been unable to call for help with her phone on the right side of the bed. On June 4, 2024, it was ruled she died due to complications of class III obesity, with the manner of death listed as natural. She reportedly weighed 488 pounds at the time of her death, and her autopsy report noted that she was last known to have been alive approximately three weeks before she was found dead.
Several music artists and television celebrities including frequent collaborator TobyMac and Matthew West paid tribute to Mandisa after the news of her death was released. American Idol paid tribute to her on the April 29 episode of the show, with Colton Dixon, Danny Gokey, and Melinda Doolittle performing "Shackles (Praise You)".
Funeral services were held at the Bentwood Baptist Church in Nashville.